The Predator Within
by VictoryScythefang
Summary: Optimus Prime and the other Autobots are on their normal schedule, until they stumble upon a small Energon mine that the Decepticons are guarding fiercely. The real question is why? And when Optimus finds himself in a state were he can't reach out to his fellow Autobots, he finds that the only option may just be a certain Predacon with a sworn allegiance to Megatron
1. Chapter 1: Research

A/N: So, first story on this site. Also first story for TFP. And that isn't from behind enemy lines...

So I hope you like, its a really short chapter

I don't own Transformers Prime, or the characters. They belong to Hasbro.

Helpful critique is appreciated, put downs aren't.

Chapter 1: Research

Optimus sat up slowly from his recharge berth. The five Autobots had had a rough day after fighting Cons in an Energon mine. The other four Cybertronians had, as the human children put it, "passed out" as soon as they laid down and offlined their exhausted optics. But their leader couldn't power down for some reason.

Optimus Prime perched on the edge of his berth, arms comfortably resting on his thighs, his large digits twiddling absentmindedly as his mind wandered.

The last of the Primes sighed, leaning back into the wall behind him. Something was nagging at the back of his CPU, but he didn't know what. The Vehicons hadn't seemed as Energon starved as usual, and fought with more purpose, like there was something else in that mine then just precious crystals of raw life blood.

The massive Autobot stood, proceeding to quietly stretch. As soundlessy as possible, left the room. His pedsteps were the only noises in the hallways as Optimus headed towards the Groundbridge and central computers. He might as well do some research; it always seemed to calm him down.

The green light from the computer screens began to fill the room, as the clack of keys accompanied them. Cybertronian symbols flitted across one screen, as strange images scrolled down another. The third, surprisingly enough, held English. The Autobot occasionally glanced up at it, then read the Cybertronian subtext. Rafael had been teaching him and Ratchet his language in their spare time, as the medic gladly helped the youngest organic learn theirs.

After an hour or so, the keys stopped typing and Optimus allowed a small growl of frustration escape him. Little did the others know, he did occasionally have spurts of emotion like this when no one was around, especially when something didn't make any sense, and that was beginning to grind on his already exhausted nerves. How would an Energon mine that small send up flares of extreme energy readings? A few computer clicks later revealed a flawed–

Optimus' in-vents sputtered, the equivalent of a human yawn, and his optics began to droop. One large servo reached up to cup the side of his face, his elbow resting on the platform next to it. English and Cybertronian text blurred together, swimming across his vision.

The Prime rapidly onlined and offlined his optics, trying to clear the imprints left on them. His servos grasped the edge of the computer inputs, trying to steady the drained Cybertronian warrior.

Optimus pushed himself up to a non-leaning position, turned off the computers and haltingly returned to his berth to recharge.

If the Autobot had read for a little longer, he would have seen the old excavation note at the edge of the English screen, mentioning a large chamber at the back of a sapphire mine near where the Energon mine was located. He would have seen it stating that everyone that went in, never came back out.


	2. Chapter 2: Snowstorm

A/N: I forgot that Smokescreen, Ultra Magnus and the Predacons went together. I fixed it, though.

I've been grounded, sorry it took so long to update. I also changed the rating, since in the next few chapters there may or may not be some use of violence. Not anything or anything. Would you guys be fine with that? And lines act as dividers. Just a BTDubs.

You all know that the Autobots have Hanger E right? (If you didn't, or just had a blond moment like me, then now you know ;3) It enpands underground, like their old base. Hence very similar setting.

Enjoy!

P.S. I don't own Transformers Prime or any of the characters

REVIEWS, REVIEWS, REVIEWS, PLEASE! They really help

* * *

Chapter 2: Snowstorm

Five Autobots filled the training room; Bumblebee and Arcee were sparring in the center of the hanger being cheered on by their human counterparts, Rachet busily typing on a datapad and Bulkhead testing out different music tracks with Miko.

Optimus watched, half-interested at his surroundings. He was still rather tired from the previous night; he hadn't exactly gotten the best recharge.

The hanger door opened and two pairs of pedsteps echoed above the training room. They both sounded rather angry, and soon voices joined them.

Smokescreen was the first to enter, followed by Ultra Magnus. The young Autobot's servos were cupped over his helm, and he looked rather disgruntled. Ultra Magnus didn't look much better. Everybot stopped what they were doing and watched the twosome.

"Uh... You guys okay?" Miko asked tentatively.

"No. No we are not. Someone," Smokescreen turned around to give Ultra Magnus a death glare. "Suggested that we double back FIVE times on the way here. With, like, no recharge!" At that he roughly huffed his ex-vents, looking slightly murderous.

Ultra Magnus snorted, then growled "Well I'm just making sure that no one discovers where we are. Stand down."

Smokescreen snarled then threw his servos in the air. "Fine! Fine!" He stomped off towards his recharge berth, grumbling furiously.

Ultra Magnus' in-vents stalled, sounding surprisingly like a sigh. He left to go to his recharge berth, when Optimus got to his peds and laid his servo on the general's shoulder. He slowly turned around to face the Prime.

"Just one question." Optimus pried gently. The general's in-vents stalled again, this time making a submissive sound.

"Where is Wheeljack?"

"He's off driving. Again. I do not know when he will come back." Ultra Magnus left for some much needed recharge as soon as the large servo lifted off his shoulder.

Optimus nodded and went to go sit back down when a soft femme voice drifted to his audio receptors. "You should get some rest."

He turned around to face Arcee. Her faceplates wore a concerned expression.

"You look like you had an awful recharge. Go ahead, we'll wake you up if there's trouble."

Sleepily, Optimus nodded, but his CPU was raging. _You're a _Prime_! You don't need rest!_

"Are you sure?" The large Autobot asked. The femme bobbed her helm. "You've looked awful for the last few solar cycles, ever since that mine attack. Now go."

She made a shooing motion with her servo and smiled, turning around to face Bumblebee.

* * *

Optimus trudged off towards his recharge berth when something distracted him. The thoughts about the mine had been whirling through his CPU, creating a mini-storm of pain in the back of his helm.

Taking a sharp right, the Autobot ended up back in the Groundbridge room. The computers were still off, causing the room to have a dreary atmosphere. He went to turn on the lights suspended from the ceiling when the door to the hanger began to shudder and rumble.

Optimus whirled around, his right servo transformed into a large-barreled blaster. Slowly edging towards the door, his hand outstrethed, ready to open it.

The hanger door was thrown open to reveal nothing out of the ordinary. Except one thing. Sheets of white fluff slammed the ground around the military compound. A snowstorm, in Jasper, Nevada.

The Cybertronian cautiously trudged out, the cold ripping at his his chassis. His right servo transformed back, his large digits stretched toward the sky. A whirl of snow spiraled past him and up towards the sky.

Optics narrowed, partly out of suspicion, partly to keep the snow out, Optimus made his way back to the hanger and hurriedly shut the large door. He returned back to the training room, still trying to shake off the snow crusted all over his body.

When Arcee glanced back to see who the oncoming pedsteps belonged to, she almost earned a kick to the faceplates. The others soon turned around to see what the commotion was about, several jaws dropped.

"What happened?" Someone gasped. Optimus shifted to gaze pointedly at the ceiling. "A snowstorm." He muttered.

"Here?" He heard Raf ask. "But that's not...?" The youngest human trailed off and Optimus turned to look at him. Confusion and a slight wonder warred on his face.

The group returned to the hanger door. Ratchet took a deep cycle of air and gripped the handle, cautiously swinging it open. The white flakes outside took the opportunity to rush in, blasting over its victims with no mercy. The door haltingly rumbled shut as Ratchet battled the frosted-over hinges.

"I-i just can't..." Raf stood stock still, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. "You said it." Miko whispered awestruck.

"How? It feels like a desert most the time and-" Ratchet was stopped mid-rant when an alarm went off. He launched himself at the main computer and furiously began typing. Optimus flinched when his research popped up, but the medic was too busy to read it and pulled up another page. A map of Earth pulled up and a small beacon pulsed on its surface. It was the location of the Decepticon mine from earlier.

Optimus growled mentally. The Autobots were going back to that anomaly. Great. At least they could possibly learn more about it.

The Cybertronian warriors, and scout, looked up at their leader. "Autobots, prepare to roll out. Don't worry about Ultra Magnus and Smokescreen, they need the rest." Optimus nodded at Ratchet. "Open a Groundbridge." _It's time to get some answers._ He thought, adding to the statement.

* * *

Lol, fail cliffhanger XD And my muse was **not **cooperating.

Again, so sorry for the time it took to upload. New chapter should come sooner.

Oh yeah, and thanks for all the page views ^^

REVIEWS! PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU!

-VS


	3. Chapter 3: A Mining Operation Gone Wrong

A/N: Aw yeah, this took like a fourth of the time to upload! :iconoptimussuperw00tplz: Sorry for using deviantart emoticons with you- Oh no, 'Cons! *Laughs for five minutes straight*

Okay, yes I am weird like that, but I wanted to say this chapter was MUCH easier to work with. More action, more adventure, and yes, more 'Cons. And the fact that this chapter follows Bumblebee. (Strangely this way it makes more sense.)

So without further ado, the next chapter!

REVIEWS PLEASE!

* * *

Chapter 3: A Mining Operation Gone Wrong

The swirling Groundbridge did NOT help Bumblebee's mood. Little to their human friend's knowledge, Cybertronians were effected by its "Space/Time Continuum" aftershocks. Meaning you never quite got used to a spinning helm and aching in your tanks, or stomach depending on what species you are, when you arrived at your destination.

Thankfully no bot seemed to notice Bumblebee sway slightly, like he had gotten overcharged from Energon. Shaking his helm to clear the slightly pulsing pain, the scout took in where they were.

Large rock faces loomed up on either side of a canyon-like trench that the Autobots were standing in. Snow lazily drifted down from a starless sky, landing on top of anything it touched to produce a thick coat, almost like a new white paintjob. Bumblebee's optics followed one that fluttered down to the piece of metal that covered his mouth and perched there. His ex-vents made an amused puff as a few more flakes landed next to it.

Focusing on the ground in front of him the scout peered at the snowy blanket and informed Optimus of how it could be a huge advantage.

"Yes, Bumblebee is correct. The snow should muffle most noises that would alert an oncoming patrol." He nodded approvingly at the scout.

Unfortunately, it didn't help in hiding their tracks, as Bumblebee noticed. He shrugged, hoping for the best and jogged to catch up with the rest of the Autobots.

* * *

The snow picked up and whirled around Decepticon soldiers. Bumblebee shifted his position as the wind tried to throw the scout out of hiding. His chassis was pressed against the freezing ground and his servos were gripped around pillar-like rocks.

Bumblebee had to briefly offline his optics to clear the snow from his vision. When they onlined again, the Energon in his veins nearly froze with the rest of his plating. Megatron was down in front of the mine entrance, conducting an apparent surprise inspection.

The scout's servos clenched around the rock underneath them, his shoulders hunched. A long and low mechanical noise of hatred emanated from his new voice box, replacing the one that the tyrant down below him had savagely ripped out.

_Focus, Bumblebee, focus!_ He told himself and moved to provide a better view. He had to be careful though; black and yellow plating wasn't exactly stealthy against the blank whiteness of snow.

Ice crunched beneath the Cybertronian's weight. He flinched, but the howling winds hid the noise, but also alerting of another storm. Turning his faceplate to the sky, pinpricks of frost darting across the living metal, the scout saw a F22 fighter plane spiral down towards the mine. It transformed and hit the ground, standing up to reveal Starscream. The second-in-command shivered and hugged his arms to his chassis. If anyone could see it, they would see the Autobot scout smirking as several Decepticons rolled their optics or reached to cover their audio receptors.

Bumblebee leaned as far forward as possible and tried to catch conversation. He was only to hear bits and pieces over the roar of the wind, forcing him to wriggle and move closer to the mind.

"Bring me a sample." Megatron ordered to a miner. He dashed off, only to return with a hunk of quartz. Bumblebee knew it wasn't any form of Energon, it was much to blue, yet it glowed with power, resembling the life blood of Cybertronians. The scout blinked and pressed his chassis to the rock he was hiding behind, straining to hear more of the conversation.

"How have the test runs been going?' The gunmetal gray tyrant asked. An arrogant voice that Bumblebee recognized as Knock-out's replied "We...uh...haven't been able to refine any yet, my liege. It take awhile to-" The medic was cut short by Starscream's annoying whine. "You've had quite a few days, Knock-out. Surely this is enough time to revise Energon."

Knock-out's in-vents sputtered and he angrily retorted "Well, whatever it is, this is not Energon."

"He speaks the truth, Starscream." A deep voice spoke. "Shockwave?"

Bumblebee's in-vents made a faint, annoyed sound. Was every single Con here?

"This power source has a very similar chemical make-up as the Predacon." Shockwave was about to state something else when another particularly violent gust of wind racked against the Cybertronians. Bumblebee fumbled for a hold on the rock, but all he found was ice and a rumbling crack resounded throughout the mine area.

Decepticons stopped what they were doing and glanced around, looking for the source of the noise. Shivering, the scout pressed himself to the rock and snow, praying that no bot would find him. Long claws hooked around the rock and scraped slowly across its surface.

Just as the claws reached for Bumblebee's helm, a shot rang out. Then all Pit broke loose.

Bumblebee flung himself over his hiding spot and shot at the nearest Decepticon, which turned out to be Starscream. The blast clipped his wing and he screeched, turning around to face his attacker, raising his arm. A missile flew towards the scout, who dodged and transformed into a car. He drove through Decepticons and launched upwards to turn back from his alt-mode. An uppercut landed right below the scout's chassis, causing him to double over. Soldiers swarmed the Autobots, landing punches and kicks as metal rang against metal.

Bumblebee saw Megatron smirk before the Lord of the Decepticons transformed and flew off with the sample of the crystal. Starscream followed, his main jet blasting a searing heat in the penetrating cold.

Everything blended together as Autobots and Decepticons struggled against one another, each side fighting for an upper servo.

Finally, when most of the miners and soldiers lay in stasis lock, the entrance to the mine stood open. The Autobots entered cautiously, attempting not to alert anybot of their presence.

* * *

(A/N: I was going to stop here, but I'd like to continue with Optimus' P.O.V.)

Optimus craned his neck upwards to peer at the unusually tall ceiling, a dim dark blue pulse radiating from the Energon-like crystals that adorned it. From the information that Bumblebee was steadily supplying him with, the Autobot leader knew that they weren't the desperately needed life blood as had been hoped.

The Autobots had thought mine had been thought to be small, smaller then the usual Decepticon hotspot, but in reality it spread out into three separate caverns; the one that they were standing in, as well as two sub-caverns.

Optimus walked over to the tunnel on his right, carefully glancing in. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but when he went to turn around a purple energy blast hit the stone roof above him.

The last Prime dodged the cascade of falling rocks, only to end up trapped in the sub-cavern. Energon shots rang out, but sounded muffled through the tons of rubble blocking the entrance. A fleeting panic raced through the leader's CPU as he attempted to reach his fellow Autobots. Unfortunately, the cave's natural supports were unstable, and wouldn't be able to handle a hit from a fully-charged Energon cannon.

Grumbling, Optimus faced the rest of the tunnel and ran down it, trying to find an exit. He came to an antechamber with pale gray walls and hunks of Energon and the other quartz like substance. A pool of aqua-colored water sat in the center of the chamber, almost seeming to glow menacingly. There was no way out.

Another blast shook the mine and Optimus craned his faceplates upward. A dagger sharp hunk of dark blue quartz rattled before coming loose and falling downwards, piercing the large Cybertronian's chassis and entering his spark chamber before his optics offlined and he stumbled into the water.

* * *

A/N: Now before you kill me, I didn't kill Optimus. You'll see... *backs up menacingly into a corner while chuckling darkly*

So, new chapter will come soon and I want to send out to shoutouts. One, to Dragongyrl24 with her awesomely inspiring story, The New Transformer

And two, to a fellow deviant, FoxAircurrent and their story Second Chance

I encourage you to read both

Thank you so much for over 200 views, *goes and dies of shock* and I hope you're enjoying this so far.

REVIEWS PLEASE! I PROMISE I WON'T KILL YOU :3


	4. Chapter 4: Transformation

A/N: Oh my gosh, thanks for all the reviews and views! As promised, more action and stuff you guys will like. I do want to say thanks for all the help you dudes have been, and I hope you keep enjoying!

* * *

Chapter 4: Transformation

Optimus blinked groggily. The last thing he could remember was that strange Energon shard piercing his chest...

Fumbling to get up, the Autobot was restrained by something. He briefly offlined his optics before turning them back on. The blue glow from the pool surrounded him, as well as the cool feeling of water. Trying to shake his helm, Optimus realized he couldn't because he was underwater. Making an alarmed gurgling sound, the Cybertronian struggled up to the surface.

He hauled himself out onto land and lay panting on the stone. Water could corrode armor and make cooling vents fail. They spluttered to expel all the water, causing the mech to tremble as all systems worked overtime to open and shift every piece of plating.

After another cough, Optimus tried to stand, only to slam back down on his servos. He offlined his optics again, allowing time for the water to drain away before onlining them again. What he saw shocked him into thinking that he still had water in his optics.

Razor-sharp digits scraped at the ground connected to thick, metal plated arms. Optimus looked down at his chassis, only to see that it wasn't one anymore. Armor-like plating covered his chest area and in the center was a Energon-blue, glowing indent, much like the Predacon's. He strained to see his long, serpentine neck and whipped his head around to see down his elongated back. His legs were now bent into a crouched position with feet that ended in wicked sharp talons as well as a tail, coming to a sleek ending, resembling that of a whip.

A whir of alarm escaped the mech and he stumbled backwards.

What had happened? He thought back to what had happened before he fell in the lake. The ceiling had shifted, then the hunk of quartz crystal had fallen and pierced his armor.

Optimus attempted to open the plates covering his chest, but they refused to move more then a few inches. A huff of annoyance emerged from his ex-vents. So this is what Bumblebee had felt like when MECH and stolen his T-Cog? He felt awful, exposed.

The large mech, or Predacon, he wasn't distinguishing, began to pace, his new claws clicking over the stone floor. Taking a guess, the Prime figured that he wasn't as huge as the Predacon that belonged to the Decepticons. But his head probably was now taller then Megatron's, at least. A snicker left his fanged mouth before he scolded himself. He shouldn't be thinking like that, not in a dire situation like this! What if his team had been captured? What if Megatron had returned to the mine? That had been a purple blast, and the only two mechs he knew of with that energy signature were Shockwave and his master.

_Stop thinking_ what if_! Right now, I have to focus on escaping this place!_ Optimus scanned the rock walls for an exit. Even a weak point would be nice, since he could probably just blast it open.

Finally, a crumbling spot on the far wall caught the Autobot's attention. Plodding over, he gently prodded at it with a claws. Tail swishing in relief, he backed up, considering the wall. The easy route would be to pull a Wheeljack and just detonate a path. Then again, the caves were unstable and could collapse at any minute. And Primus only knew when Decepticon guards would discover the rubble and begin to search for any infiltrators.

Growling in annoyance, the Prime sat back on his haunches and absentmindedly rapped his talons against the floor. It took him a second to realize that he had picked up this habit from the Autobots' human friends. For the first time, the Cybertronian thought about where he would go after this situation was over. Certainly not the Decepticons, even with their science knowledge they would just use him as an experiment or something. But could he go back to his companions in this state? What would stop them from shooting? He didn't know if his armor was as blast-proof as the Predacon's, and he didn't want to test that out now.

Shaking his helm, Optimus forced himself to try and remember the Predacon blast sequence that all of the Autobots were way too familiar with. After all, everybot seemed to have been shot at by the beast.

A click in his chassis and a sudden glow drew Optimus' attention. The blue radiance coming from the crater in his chest was reaching blinding as the mech's neck reared up. The cyan flames licked at his dagger-like fangs as they surged forward and easily blasted through the weakened stone.

The mine began to rumble as cracks raced over stone. Optimus flung himself at the opening and burst through into the snowy night. No Decepticons were in sight, but that didn't stop the Autobot from sprinting off through the rocky outcroppings and boulders. If there was something in his path, the Prime just sprang and cleared it easily.

Fleeing mindlessly from the mine, Optimus didn't even slow down until he was far off, snow covering his claws and hindering his pace. He jogged to a standstill and all but collapsed into a panting heap. The ice helped to cool down his overheated frame, but his pipes burned fiercely. The Prime reached up to feel his plated neck, gingerly touching the metal. He was going to have to find a way to cool his throat pipes before they completely overheated, resulting severe damage.

Glancing down at the snow below him, Optimus cautiously took a mouthful. The second he swallowed, the ice melted and cold water rushed through his throat pipes. The new Predacon opened his mouth and allowed the steam to escape and spiral up into the night.

Now that he had time to think, the Autobot leader considered what to do next. He could try to get back to base, and...

Opening his mouth, the mech tried to speak aloud only to hear a series of whines and screeches. Optimus' ex-vents let out a stalling sigh. Unfortunately, that confirmed his suspicions of the fact that he didn't have a way of communicating.

A shiver ran through the Prime's circuitry and he realized he should fine shelter for a quick recharge. He was still wet from falling in the water and lying in the snow. He wouldn't be any help to the Autobots if he didn't have the energy to make it back to them from... wherever he was.

Optimus shakily got to his feet and arched his back. He swung his head, looking for shelter, but he couldn't see a few pedsteps through the snow. He padded blindly over the snow, looking for shelter.

A gaping hole appeared out of nowhere, large enough to shelter a decent sized Predacon. Optimus gratefully entered, taking a deep breath of the air. Satisfied that nobot had been there, his chest glowed again as flames lit up the cave. It heated the dirt floor as the autobot curled up on the warm patch, curling his tail over his snout before falling into a restless rechrage.

* * *

Meh, this could've turned out better. I really wanted to post this!

Optimus is a Preda-bot! Or Autocon! Your choice

Hope you enjoyed ;)

REVIEWS PLEASE


	5. Chapter 5: Alone

A/N: Wow...thanks for the reviews and views... *explodes when sees traffic graph*

Optimus is referred to both an Autobot and a Predacon. Just thought I'd mention that.

I promise this chapter will be more for laughs... but I do have a question.

What would you guys do if I added some of Megatron's and Optimus's pasts in? I was reading a fic and it mentioned their pasts... it almost made me cry. And I could wriggle emotional stuff in there, if you dudes want.

REVIEWS ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!

Oh, and who's going to see TF 4? Holy crud, there are Predacons! *fangirl squee*

* * *

Chapter 5: Alone

Optimus's optics shuttered open and his mouth stretched wide in a yawn. He pushed himself up onto his feet and roughly shook himself, feeling the metal plates whirl and spin into place. The Predacon arced his neck and heard a crack. He shook his arms and legs, recalling what Miko shouted whenever she woke up after falling asleep at base in an awkward position.

_Pins and needles! _The Autobot thought gruffly, trying to rid himself of the unpleasant feeling. A snort signaled that he had given up trying, and shakily edged outside into the sun. Even though a thick coat of snow covered the ground, the star that centered this world's solar system glowed cheerfully in the cloudless sky. Optimus heard his ex-vents huff grumpily, and for once he found himself understanding why the humans brought coffee to early morning meetings.

Examining his scale-like plates, the Predacon picked a pebble out of a transformation seam. He was going to have to find a way to clean off all the grime, less it affect any possible transforming. He cast a glance at the snow. The urge to act like a sparkling and throw himself down in the stuff was overwhelming. Steeling his nerves, Optimus turned around in a full circle, assessing his situation. The impulse was still strong, causing the dragon to grit his sharp dentas in frustration. His clawed servos gripped the ground in an attempt to steady himself, before he padded over to the cave he had spent the night in. Now he could see it was a large rock pillar, like many others in Jasper.

With a determined look on his reptilian faceplates, Optimus dug his claws into the stone and tediously heaved himself upwards. Each inch felt like a mile, some handholds barely big enough to hold a human's weight, let alone a huge Cybertronian predator of old. When the Predabot reached the top of the pillar, he all but collapsed in a heap, vents working overtime to cool down the overheated frame.

Using only his back peds, Optimus almost comically scrabbled forward onto the rock platform, growling in annoyance. Didn't the Predacons have wings?

A gust of wind caught the Autobot off guard and showed that he indeed, in fact, possessed wings. The leathery sails blew open majestically, hues of beetle blue and ruby glinting in the sunlight. Even though Optimus couldn't use his voice box, a stream of extremely foul and vulgar swears, both human and Cybertronian, raged through his processor. He settled for a furious roar, letting all the cooped-up anger, confusion and even fear escape in that long, loud noise.

Gnashing his teeth together, the large beast paced the edge of the pillar. Even if he could fly, he would never be able to find the mine in the snow.

So he decided that the first step was to clean off and, as Miko would eloquently put it, find some eats. His near empty tanks rumbled in agreement. What to eat was the real question, though. Raw Energon, the processed stuff, the crystals back at the Decepticon mine, something else, Optimus had no idea. Honestly, at this point he was ready to try anything, including organic food.

Before any of that could happen the Predacon would have to find a way to get down from his stony perch. Looking over the edge was a huge mistake, as the sight of the ground below him made him backpedal while his tanks clenched in on themselves and a chir of alarm make its way up through his throat. Going back the way he came was not an option.

Slowly, Optimus glanced at the wings pressed to his sides. Another memory of when the children taught the Autobots of an Earth custom flooded his CPU.

Snapping open the large sail-like appendages, the Autobot repeated an overused motto in his head. _You only live once. You only live once._ Taking a huge cycle of air, Optimus jumped off the ledge.

Flying with wings was COMPLETELY different then with the jetpack contraption he was used to. Or, to put it more accurately, falling with wings. The wind rushed past his bulky yet aerodynamic frame, tearing at his legs and tail, trying to flip him over and wreck his flight patterns. Optimus screeched as the ground quickly approached, waiting patiently to take his spark, or at least do maximum damage to the mech. In a desperate attempt to stop termination, the Predacon threw out his wings and scrunched his optics shut. The wind force felt as if Vehicons had rammed into his wing joints at full speed.

Optimus gagged and onlined his optics. Glancing down he gasped, reaching out his claws. They brushed against the cold wet snow that was covering the usually dusty ground. A ghost of a smile touched his faceplates as he pumped his wings to gain altitude, flying under the morning light.

* * *

Arcee was rather hysterical at this point. No calls from Optimus, no message, not even a transmitting stating he was alright. What if he'd been captured? What if he was lying crushed and broken under tons of rubble?

The femme was pacing across Hanger E, grumbling and growling and resembling that of a caged lioness. She didn't see her partner leaning tersely on the railing that lined the computers, waiting for the storm that was Arcee to calm. Jack was bordering the edge of panic as well, but he hadn't gone over yet. He was surprised at the level paranoia that his Cybertronian friend was showing. It wasn't as if everybot wasn't showing the same affects; Smokescreen looking shell-shocked, curled up into a ball in the corner of the room, Ratchet unusually less "control freak", as well as the others wandering around with a lost look in their optics.

Jack knew that if Optimus had been missing for this long, somebody should know where he was. So, the question still stood: where was their leader?

* * *

The Bot in question was currently hunting for food. It was close to being a hour of searching by now, and still nothing. All the happiness of flight had left Optimus, replaced by annoyance. He had tried to follow his tracks back to the mine, but they'd been covered up by the snowstorm from last night. Clouds were also rolling in, threatening to plague the usually hot land with more snow. Growling, the dragon circled over the canyon below him before landing with a huge _thump_.

Plodding forward, Optimus stretched his sore neck. Flying had cramped up his cables and joints, evidently showing in the way he walked. Letting his legs take him wherever, the Autobot drew into his mind. _Let's see... Where was the mine located?_

Before he could brood any further, one of his front servos slipped and with a yelp of surprise he tumbled helm-over-tail down a rocky slope. Rolling to a stop, Optimus groaned and pushed himself up into a sitting position; servos next to peds, tail tucked neatly over them. Reaching up with one clawed servo, he gingerly rubbed his sore helm. To his surprise, he found out that the structure of his helm had stayed the same, including the antennae-like pieces above his audio receptors. Now, though, they had thickened into horns, as well as the grate in the center of his helm. He wondered what his comrades would say if they saw him like this.

Optimus realized that he was back at the mine. With a groan of relief, he ran inside. Not the best strategy, especially from a military leader, but he was energy starved and exhausted. Luckily, the mine was abandoned and unharvested crystals of both Energon and the other stuff lying around. Stretching out, the Predacon picked up a light blue crystal, lifeblood of Cybertronians. Giving the other kind of crystal a dirty look, he crunched down on the Energon. Glad that he could eat it unprocessed, Optimus continued to savagely tear apart the crystals.

Once he had finished, the dragon curled up. But before he could drift off into recharge, voices echoed through the mine, alerting Optimus of a familiar presence. He didn't need the brotherly bond in the back of his spark pulsing to know that Megatron had arrived.

* * *

Fail chapter 0_0

Wow, not fun to write. The usual stuff, I guess, I promise new chapters soon XD

So, if you guys want to hear about Op's past with Megatron, put it in your review. Besides that... 'Thats all, folks!

REVIEWS ARE GOLD TO AN AUTHOR'S CREATIVITY


	6. Chapter 6: The Past is the Past

Heheheheheheheh... Here it is, folks. The utterly embarrassing, totally unrealistically real, past of Megatron and Optimus Prime. Including all the classics you love and crack up at, as well as bonus extras! And Soundwave... Cause who knows what he was like before the war. I'll also being another chapter on their pasts, so if you have any ideas, just tell me. I will credit you.

_blahblahblah_ = Flashback

**blahblahblah** = Predacon language

Yes, there are some mentions of words like underped, which is supposed to mean underfoot. And so on and so forth.

Thanks to Ardent Arspen, for letting me build of her idea of Optimus's training in her story Transformers: Prime/Beast Saga. I recommend you read it if you're down in the Pit. THE FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS OF FLASHBACK ARE HERS!

REVIEWS!

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Chapter 6: The Past is the Past

Optimus slunk backwards, hoping that the Decepticons wouldn't notice the semi-giant Predacon standing like a deer in the headlights right out in the open. If he had had time, he would have facepalmed. What kind of military leader rushed into an enemy's mine, especially one that's already seen as suspicious?

Optimus looked up and saw that the rocks near the ceiling of the mine created beam-like supports. Quicker then he thought possible, the dragon launched himself up at the ceiling, scrabbling for a servohold. He was able to suspend himself between two beams right when the Lord of the Decepticons appeared underneath him, followed by the "ever faithful" Starscream and the scientist Shockwave. Eradicons flanked the entrance, blasters drawn and charging. _Scrap!_ the Autobot thought, noticing his only path of escape had been blocked. There was no way out, unless he charged and muscled his way through the blockade. Heaving a silent sigh, Optimus shifted ever so slightly, preparing to hang for the next few hours.

Megatron scanned the wreckage around him, thankfully not looking up, optics flitting over every piece of rubble. He stepped forward and came down on a shard of Energon. It cracked under his weight, alerting the tyrant. He stooped over to pick it up, clicking his subvocalizer questioningly. "Hmm... Spread out an search for survivors." The warlord ordered. Eradicons tripped and stumbled over each other, trying to be the first to obey their master's commands. Both Optimus and Megatron rolled their optics at the same time at the soldiers' actions.

The dragon shifted again in his uncomfortable position, trying to dislodge the rock that was jammed against his hip. He gave up on moving when Shockwave piped up from below him.

"There seems to be no life signals besides our own here." The scientist swept a device in his servo around the cavern. "Wait." All movement in the mine stopped dead.

"There's another life signal here."

Optimus inwardly groaned. Now he'd done it!

Glancing down at his chest, he caught his radiant Predacon indent pulsing. Nearly yelping out loud, the Autobot scanned his CPU for a way to shut off the glowing dead giveaway. He finally found a sequence to close his chest plates around it. They shut with a soft _shink_ to reveal the Autobot symbol. Only it appeared differently then usual, looking slightly more primal then it should. Smiling at that, the dragon swung himself onto one of the stone beams, taking care not to alert anybot of his presence.

The Prime inclined his audio receptors towards the Decepticons underped, not that he needed to strain himself to hear Megatron's baritone voice vibrate through his body. "Autobot, or Decepticon?"

"My liege...I-I do not know..."

Several sympathetic flinches, hisses and "Oo"s escaped the gathered soldiers. One look from the gunmetal gray warlord shut them up.

"What do you mean Shockwave?" Megatron inquired, placing a servo on the scientist's shoulder.

"The signal appears to be a mix of allegiances. Like how the Predacon belongs both to its subspecies and the Decepticons." Shockwave continued to scan the device in his servo. "Apparently, it belongs to both the Autobot faction as well as," He stopped and tapped a claw-like digit on the screen. "That is odd. It says the life signal also belongs to a Predacon." Stunned silence met the scientist's words.

"Do you mean to say that a Predacon, belonging to the Autobots, is roaming around here?" Starscream's screechy voice pestered both scientist and tyrant. Their optics showed it all as the seeker invaded their personal space, yet again. With a weary sigh, Megatron pushed his second-in-command back and stated "No. However, this type of Energon seems to hold a similar genetic make-up to our Predacon asset. So if an Autobot was infused with it..." He trailed of mid-sentence, casting a glance at Shockwave. Both mechs raised their arms and shot at the ceiling.

With a yowl of dismay, Optimus crashed down from the dome-shaped roof. The Decepticons quickly moved out of his path as the dragon slammed onto his back. Grunting, he somehow made it back to his feet before sprinting to the now-clear exit.

Bursting out into the bright sunlight, Optimus didn't see the massive shape until it was too late. Slamming head-on into an unknown object, the Autobot slumped down to the ground, rubbing his helm and making angry clicks and whirs. He was surprised to hear a deep grunt ask **"Are you alright?"**

The voice gasped suddenly and stated, obviously awestruck, **"Another** **Predacon?"**

At this Optimus quickly onlined his optics. The Predacon, the actual, honest-to-Primus version, was standing over him. Both dragons backpedaled away from each other, not believing their optics. At this time the Decepticons had also exited the mine, met with exclamations of surprise.

A cruel laugh bore through all of them as Megatron stepped out into the sunlight. "My, my, when we figured out that an Autobot had come into contact with our Pred-En, I never would have guessed it was you." An evil smirk etched itself into the warlord's faceplates. "Optimus Prime. What a surprise." He innocently spread his servos before yelling "Grab him!"

Optimus tried to get up, but he was pinned down by something bigger then himself. It was the Predacon.

The Prime struggled under the beast's weight, trying without avail to escape. He looked up into its golden optics pleadingly, but a sharp pain in his arm told him it was too late.

With a roar, Optimus attempted one last time to escape, to get as far away as possible, but the drug that Shockwave had injected into the dragon's system was already taking hold. With one last weak shove, the Autobot crashed to the floor, trembling as he went into system-wide shutdown. The last thing he saw was Megatron's triumphant expression as his enemy was being hogtied on the ground below him.

* * *

_"No brother, that's no good!" Megatron's rough laugh echoed across the abandoned stadium. "Hold your arms like THIS. Good!" He stepped away from the young archivist and looked him over critically. "Megatron, I was never meant for combat!" Orion complained, shuffling his peds. He shifted awkwardly, internal cables straining and hissing under the weight of the heavy shield. "I'm a data clerk, not a warrior!" The gladiator shook his helm and moved to stand slightly behind the younger mech. "You've no less right to defend yourself then I. And with that smart mouth of yours always getting you into trouble with Barricade, you may have greater need to defend yourself then I!" He playfully jostled Orion's arm, unbalancing him slightly. "But Barricade doesn't scare me," the archivist protested. "I can outrun him, physically and mentally! I don't need weapons!"_

_Seeing that the new recruit's movements still looked a little doubtful, the gladiator became serious once more. "Orion, there will come a day when you HAVE to fight. So when that day comes," he took ahold of Orion Pax's arm and helped him raise the shield high, "remember that when you carry a weapon, you carry the lives of the people you care about. Now!" The gunmetal gray mech clapped his servos together. "As I do!"_

_His long sword elongated from the subspace under his arm and slowly practiced different strikes. Hesitantly, the archivist followed suit, constantly looking up to copy the movements. Megatron would occasionally glance back at him, giving him a smile or nod in encouragement. _

_After Primus knows how long, Orion felt his systems begin to complain for a break. But as if the mech had read his thoughts, a slender figure padded into the stadium. He made almost no noise, and easily snuck up behind Orion. A small tap on the clerk's shoulder plating nearly sent him jumping up into the air. "Oh, it's just you Soundwave," the mech clutched at his spark, taking deep cycles of air in a failed attempt to regain his composure. Megatron turned, and slightly grinned at the communications expert. "Ah, Soundwave! Just the mech I wanted to see!"_

_The two went off to talk a little ways off, providing Orion the chance he needed for escape. Not wasting a nano-klick, he dropped the weapons and sprinted out of the arena, making a mad dash for one of Iacon's closer study wings. Bursting in the door, he easily bypassed security and moved onto the familiar desk sitting in a secluded room. Sighing, the archivist all but collapsed into the nearby chair. He reached over the worn metal to pull out one of his favorite data-pads that was set under electronic files and other desk clutter. Taking the screen, Orion retreated to a remote area of the library-like archives, settling down behind stacks of crates filled with old data-pads and knowledge. This way if Megatron came searching for him, he probably wouldn't be able to find the younger mech. Snickering, the archivist curled up, back to the wall and began to relax, scrolling through the countless electronic pages of data. _

_All too soon, the gladiator's voice could be heard. It was alarmingly close. "Oh scrap!" Orion hissed, pressing the back of his chassis to the wall, peds tucked in as close as possible._

_"I know he's here. Just where is the question." Megatron rumbled, probably talking to Soundwave. _

_"Split up and look for him." _

_Remaining as still as possible, Orion hoped that the danger had passed. He was wrong._

_"Found him!" Megatron called out, causing the mech in question to squeak in alarm. To put it that the revolutionary removed him was a severe understatement, it was more like he picked the archivist up by the scruff of the neck and hauled him from Iacon, as Orion grumped about being outsmarted by his brother-in-arms._

* * *

_"Alright, there she is." Orion pointed at the femme walking through the hallway in his wing of Iacon. "Now go talk to her."_

_The archivist attempted to push the larger mech next to him out into the open, but he refused to budge. Feeling his ex-vents sigh in annoyance, Orion halted his efforts. "C'mon Megatron. You've been _**way**_ braver than this. Like that one time-" The silver mech cut him off. "Yes, but this is different. This is..." He paused to ponder the right words._

_"A lot harder and more dangerous then a fight to the death?" Orion Pax supplied in a monotone. _

_"Exactly."_

_The data clerk grumbled and looked up at the gladiator. "Seriously? It's just _**one**_ femme, and I'm pretty sure she already knows you like her." Crossing his arms in a matter-of-fact way, Orion nodded his helm towards said femme. "Now go talk to her."_

_Megatron shot him a I-will-kill-you look before nervously walking towards the femme._

* * *

More memories flooded Optimus's CPU as he twitched in the stasis lock. His optics began to fill up with coolant as his frame racked up and down with silent sobs. Subconsciously, his processor repeated one thought. Why can't things go back to the way they were?

The dragon whimpered in his cell, writhing pitifully on the metal ground. Megatron glared down at Optimus, crouching to get a better look at his nemesis. Reaching through the bars of the cage, he put a giant servo on the beast's helm. Standing back up, the tyrant turned around, telling himself that the wetness on his faceplates was caused by that accursed Earth rain.

* * *

Pfft, fail. But I hope you liked the first part of the flasback. "NUUUUU I DON'T WANNA TRAIN!" Does anyone think "archivist" is code for bookworm?

Orion: What is a "bookworm"?

Oh mah gosh, I got Megz to cry. He must seriously hate me now! *laughs evilly*

Again, I don't own the first two paragraphs of flashback. That writing genius goes to Ardent Arspen. It inspired me to take it further. I dare say she approves XD

So, if you have anymore ideas, I encourage you to tell! 'Cause I'm writing another flashback, and have NO IDEA on what to do. Yes, I promise to credit ya

REVIEWS!


	7. Chapter 7: Truce?

A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! So, I'm sorry that this took so long ^^;

In all ado fairness, I've had writers block for awhile on other things and it finally transferred over to this story. But I got rid of it...for now.

This chapter may not turn out like some of you may have wanted, but I promise more pasts later. I'm still stuck on that.

Solar Cycle = I Earth day

Dreaming of the skies,

-VictoryScythefang

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Chapter 7: Truce?

_Ow, _was all Optimus could think at the moment. His optics were still offline, and he felt something heavy wrapped around his neck.

Groggily pushing himself to his peds, the dragon let out a mechanical yawn and stretched. He was no longer startled when his plates spun into the correct spots. Shaking himself, rather like a dog, Optimus onlined his optics.

A dark corridor met his gaze, overhead lights giving off a distinctly evil-feeling red glow. Energon-powered bars blocked any escape from the cell the Autobot was in, occasionally sparking.

Getting as close to the pulsing blue bars as he dared, Optimus attempted to see the rest of the room. Other than cages similar to his own to his right, there was an examination table and a few computers stationed nearby. It was obviously a laboratory.

The Energon flowing through Optimus froze in horror and he stumbled backwards. Tripping over something large behind him, the dragon crashed to the floor.

"So, you're awake." The unmistakable voice of Soundwave echoed in the Autobot's audio receptors. Turning to face the purple mech, Optimus snarled and unsheathed his claws.

"That is illogical. The Decepticons are your only hope to getting back to normal."

The dragon's vents huffed in an irritated way as he sat back on his haunches. Refusing to look at the scientist, Optimus turned around to glare the back wall of his cell.

A few minutes later pedsteps approached his prison. Something clattered to the ground and rolled to a stop next to the Autobot. He stared down at the Energon crystal shimmering in the dim light.

"You need to replenish your tanks." Shockwave said simply before returning to his work.

Optimus looked down at the Energon and picked it up between two claws. It appeared normal as he turned around, viewing it from all angles. There were no indents indicating that anything had been injected into it. Cautiously, the dragon took a bite of the crystal. It tasted normal.

The Autobot devoured the Energon. After he swallowed the last bit, he felt a prickling feeling on the back of his neck. Somebot was watching him.

Swiveling his head, Optimus saw that Shockwave was staring at him. The dragon cocked his helm to the side, clearly asking what the problem was. Shockwave waved his servo dismissively and reached up to his audio receptor.

"My liege, he is awake." The purple mech stated, returning to his work desk.

"Very good. I will be at your lab shortly." The warlord's voice echoed eerily through the comm link.

Optimus slunk back against his cell, trembling slightly, dreading what would happen. Then he scolded himself for showing fear.

Shockwave entered in a few codes into a datapad sitting on his desk. The laboratory door clicked and opened menacingly, allowing the tyrant behind it entrance.

Megatron's gunmetal fray faceplates practically shone with malice. "Shockwave?" He asked.

"Yes, my liege?"

"Leave us."

The scientist nodded and picked up a few datapads before exiting the lab.

"Well, well, well..." The warlord drawled. His subvocalizer made a ;tsk tsk; noise. "What do we have here?"

Optimus half-shut his optics in a "seriously?" manner. Megatron smirked and casually leaned against the lab desk. "I'm glad to see that you are the same as ever, Optimus," The tyrant straightened and bent forward. "Now, what to do with you..."

The dragon clawed at the floor, keeping optic-contact with the gray mech. He tried to growl menacingly, and was pleased to find out that it worked. The tyrant took a half step back, then laughed and stated "If anything, you're reverting back to Orion Pax, my old friend!"

Startled, Optimus froze, swaying slightly. What did Megatron mean? A questioning subvocalizer click emanated from the Autobot. The tyrant smiled, and for the first time in eons Optimus saw a hint of true friendliness in it.

"You're not acting like a Prime. You're acting...hmm, how to put it...more interesting."

The Autobot's vents gave a protestant huff, causing Megatron to chuckle. "But that's not why I came."

He crouched, so he was optic-level with the sitting dragon. "I'm here to propose a truce."

"_Huh?_"That was the most formulated sound Optimus could make. He lifted an arm, but a chain he hadn't noticed earlier stopped him from raising it any farther. The metal made a gentle clanging noise as it slowly swayed.

Megatron sighed and stood. "We would be using you as a test subject, to study the Pred-En. In return, you would be treated as a guest instead of a prisoner, and be cured once we figured out how. We will not force you to show yourself or make you attack your fellow Autobots, and all you need to do is cooperate."

Optimus considered that for a second. Then he pointed his snout at the Decepticon symbol on the warlord's chestplates, raising an opticridge. "I'm not deceiving you, Optimus. Wouldn't you like to return to your team?"

The Autobot thought about said team's reactions. Ratchet would yell to never trust the warlord, as well as throw in some choice words and his favorite wrenches. Bumblebee would probably accept if he thought it would help the team. Arcee would do it, then find a way to strike back at the Decepticons. And the others, they would do things along those lines.

Optimus looked up at the gladiator. How badly he wanted to trust Megatron, he really did, but he just couldn't find the ability to in is processor. His spark told him to go with it, so he could return to his team. And maybe get some insider knowledge.

Looking up at he lord of the Decepticons, Optimus slowly nodded. He shuffled his peds, glancing down at the chains wrapped around his arms, legs, and neck. A few taps on a datapad later, and the chains unlocked with a soft clicking noise. They clanked loudly as they fell to the floor.

The Energon bars faded away, and the Prime cautiously stepped out into the lab, expecting to be shot at, at the very least. Megatron stepped forwards, a collar-like ring in his hands. The red pulse of Energon-powered fuel lines ran along its silver edges. "Just a precaution," the tyrant reassured as he snapped it into place along the dragon's front leg.

Megatron pressed a button next to an automated door. It slid open and he stepped through, turning around to look at the Autobot. "Well?"

Optimus mimicked what the children did when they were called to do chores, like cleaning up the hanger. He pointed a claw at his chest.

"Yes, you."

He trotted out next to the warlord, curiously glancing around the halls. He was easily small enough to fit through them, thank Primus.

Megatron led his former archenemy through the _Nemesis_, up to the top deck. The cold halls were surprisingly barren; no soldiers were in sight.

The twosome arrived outside a door that most likely led to a throne room. The warlord motioned for Optimus to stay put. He slid through the large door into a chamber full of Decepticons mulling about that snapped to attention the second their lord walked into the room. Megatron's optics flitted over all the faceplates; Knockout was there, as well as Shockwave, Soundwave, and _Starscream_. Despite how "loyal" the Seeker claimed to be, the tyrant wouldn't trust slag with that subordinate; the glitch-headed jet. Vehicons and Eradicons were spaced between the officers, no doubt with their comm links open for their comrades that couldn't come.

Megatron gave Shockwave a quick, questioning gaze that was returned with a slight dip of the helm. _Good_, the gunmetal gray mech mused, _he hasn't told anybot yet._ Starscream caught this and made, as the humans would call it, an annoying _what do you guys know? _face, as the humans would call it. The tyrant glared back, causing the Seeker to shrink slightly.

"As many of you know, we made a catch last solar cycle at one of our Energon mines. This mech is not to be shot–" Megatron went on with a long list of things that shouldn't happen, including hurting, maiming, killing and so on, "or in any other ways harmed." With that the warlord gave a pointed look at Starscream.

"We shall be treating him like a guest for now, and if anyone," another glare at the Seeker, "and I mean anyone, leaks a word about this to the Autobots, then I will personally see to it." The last few words were almost a whisper, but they still echoed through the room. Megatron allowed the threat to hang there for a nanoklick, before walking back over to the door. He slipped through the it to find a very curious Optimus with his audio receptor pressed to the wall. Upon seeing the gray mech, the dragon gave a small yelp of alarm and distanced himself from the wall.

"Come with me." Megatron said, moving back into the throne room. Cautiously, the Prime approached the door, still out of sight from the Decepticons. Taking a deep cycle of air, he steeled his already metal nerves and gained a serious and calm demeanor. He stood before the door, which beeped and slid open.

* * *

Aaaaaannnnnnnnddddd we stop there. Sorry for such a long chapter (and all the italics), but I...just...couldn't...GAH! *slams into desk*

Op is officially in deep waters, and the Autobots have no idea about it.

If anyone has any ideas, please say. (Yes, I'll credit you) The story Tiny has been giving me some great brain food for the next chapter.

All I'm saying about the next chap is that it involves a humbling race, a bet, and a grapefruit. Don't even ask about said grapefruit.

Oh yeah. It also involves (drumroll please)...STEVE! Everyone's favorite Vehicon! The story behind Steve: nicknamed for Steve Blum who plays a Vehicon whenever one speaks.

So, that's all for now. Until next time, amigos!


End file.
